Articles of clothing are generally manufactured in different sizes. The various sizes allow people of various body sizes and shapes to wear the particular article of clothing. Some articles of clothing include a structure for fastening portions of the article of clothing together to secure a particular fit (e.g., a snug fit). Examples of these types of clothing include pants, shirts, jackets and boots.
Despite the variety of sizes of clothing, some people are not able to fit into some articles of clothing, for example, if the person is between sizes or if the person is larger than the largest available size for the article of clothing. In particular, articles of footwear such as boots present a unique problem for wearers whose bodies are not sized in the same way the boot is designed. For example, a person may have a foot size that is compatible with standard foot sizes, but the person may also have a larger calf than the leg-covering portion of the boot is designed to fit. More specifically, the circumference of the leg-covering portion of the boot, or opening, may be smaller than the circumference of the wearer's calf. Therefore, while the wearer's foot may fit within the boot, the wearer may not be able to close the leg-covering portion of the boot to fit about the wearer's calf. Previously, such a person would be required to forego wearing the boot or forcing the leg-covering portion to close about the calf. Forcing the leg-covering portion of the boot to close about the calf could lead to potential tightness in the wearer's leg from the leg-covering portion or pinched skin in the fastener. Stress on the fastener and potential ripping of the boot material or breakage of the fastener could also result from an overly tight leg-covering portion relative to the wearer's calf.